1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to agricultural seed planters, and more particularly to an improved seed belt housing for minimizing seed skips.
2. Description of Related Art
It is well recognized that uniformity in the spacing of seeds in a seed furrow is essential for maximizing a field""s crop yield potential and thus enhancing the profitability of the farmer""s operation. Accordingly, it is essential to minimize the occurrence of seed skips, and other causes of inaccurate seed spacing.
Modern agricultural planters use various types of seed metering devices designed to select and discharge individual seeds at regular intervals to ideally achieve this uniformity in seed spacing. One particular type of seed metering device widely used for years on many different makes and models of agricultural planters is known as a xe2x80x9cfinger-pickupxe2x80x9d meter. One of the first commercially successful finger-pickup meters is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,308,774 to Keeton. The Keeton ""774 finger-pickup meter was subsequently improved as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,552,601 to Hansen et al. The improved finger-pickup meter by Hansen et al. is still widely used today substantially as embodied in the disclosure of the Hansen et al. ""601 patent. Further improvements to the Hansen et al. ""601 finger-pickup meter are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,269,758 to Sauder.
The Sauder ""758 patent discloses an improved wear resistant backing plate with removable brush inserts and xe2x80x9cseed stripperxe2x80x9d inserts, i.e., inserts with different modulations or depressions used to dislodge excess seeds from the finger-pickups so that only a single seed is carried to the seed discharge opening in the backing plate. These removable inserts allow the farmer to easily switch-out the seed strippers and brushes depending on the various seed sizes to be planted without having to replace the entire backing plate. Additionally, the Sauder ""758 patent discloses an improved seed discharge opening in the backing plate to reduce the potential for seed xe2x80x9cskipsxe2x80x9d caused by the seeds ricocheting back into the seed meter after hitting the back panel of the seed belt housing.
Since eliminating seed skips caused by the seeds bouncing or ricocheting back into the seed meter after hitting the back panel of the seed belt housing is also one of the primary objects of the present invention, an understanding of the causes of such undesirable occurrences is necessary for an appreciation of the need for the improved seed belt housing of the present invention.
With reference to the written description and drawing figures of the above identified Hansen et al. ""601 patent and Sauder ""758 patent, both which are incorporated herein by reference, those skilled in the art should readily appreciate that the back wall of the seed belt housing is spaced approximately one inch to 1xc2xd inches away from the back face of the backing plate of the finger-pickup seed meter. Those skilled in the art should also readily appreciate that the rotating fingers on the opposite side (i.e., the front face), of the backing plate of the finger-pickup meter are spring biased in order to hold the singulated seeds against the front face of the backing plate as the fingers rotate toward the seed discharge opening. Thus, due to this spring bias, as the fingers rotate past the seed discharge opening in the backing plate, the seeds are discharged through the seed opening with a force often sufficient enough for the seeds to bounce or ricochet back into the seed meter after hitting the back panel of the seed belt housing, thereby causing seed skips.
Accordingly, since finger-pickup type meters are one of the most widely used types of seed singulating devices on existing agricultural planters today, and since new planters are still being manufactured which utilize finger-pickup meters, there is a need in the industry for a simple, cost effective method of modifying or retrofitting existing planters without having to replace the entire seed meter and seed belt housing assembly to solve the above identified seed skip problems. Furthermore, there is a need in the industry for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to be able to offer new planters or replacement parts that will overcome the aforementioned seed skip problems encountered with current finger-pickup meters and seed belt housings.
An improved seed belt housing to reduce seed skip and method for same. The seed belt housing having a modified back panel with an area of impact absorbing material disposed at least in the area where the seed normally hits the back panel of the seed belt housing after being discharged by the seed meter. The impact absorbing material having the properties to dampen, absorb, or reduce the amount of bounce or ricochet otherwise experienced by the seed after hitting the back panel of the seed belt housing.
In one embodiment the back panel of the seed belt housing assembly includes an opening or cutout in the area where the seed normally contacts the back panel of the housing after being discharged through the seed discharge opening in the backing plate of the adjacently disposed finger-pickup meter. The impact absorbing material is preferably secured against the back face of the back panel of the housing over the opening by an exterior cover plate.
In yet another alternative embodiment, an area of impact absorbing material is secured within a recessed area formed into the back panel of the housing.
In still another embodiment an area of impact absorbing material is formed integrally with the back panel of the housing.
In still another embodiment, the entire back panel is fabricated from an impact absorbing material.
The present invention may also be provided as a kit for retrofitting existing seed belt housings, comprising a template for positioning the opening to be cut into the back panel, a member of impact absorbing material sized to at least cover the opening to be cut in the back panel, and preferably an exterior cover plate for securing the impact absorbing material over the opening.
To the accomplishment of the above objectives, features and advantages, this invention may be embodied in the forms illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific form illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims.